Giles uncapped his pen and found a new sheet of paper in his well worn notebook, "I suppose we'll start with how you became a… an… well whatever you are."

Liam flashed Giles an amused smile finding it funny how uncomfortable this man was with the situation before his smile faded and his face became carefully blank. They didn't need to know how hard this was for him to talk about, to relive everything that had happened to him in his long existence. "I grew up in Ireland during the 1700s with my mother and her husband and daughter. My family was respected amongst the community, I on the other hand was not." Liam met Buffy's eyes and continued on, "I was a poor excuse for a mortal; I drank and slept around, I was lazy and cruel. Where others felt compelled to contribute and care for one another I felt no such feelings. On the night of May 21, 1753 it caught up with me. I had been drinking that night and found a lass I was quite fond of, only problem was she was married. When he found us together he threw me into the street and beat me to a bloody pulp. Then…" he blew out a breath, "then he stabbed me through the heart. I bled to death in the middle of the street. Twenty six years old and I was dead." Liam shakily picked up his coffee cup and took a sip trying to not let his emotions take over. Giles was writing furiously and Buffy was staring at him with kind eyes encouraging him to continue.

"I wasn't aware I had died until I stood up and saw myself on the road with blood all around me. Before I could get too worked up about the entire situation a man approached me. He was older and looked extremely calm. He had an aura around him that just felt good, felt pure. Next thing I knew I was Home."

Buffy bit her lip silently debating if she should ask questions or just let him continue speaking. He seemed almost in a trance, like he was recounting someone else's life story. He had maintained eye contact with her this whole time barely acknowledging Giles' presence.

"So, does everyone that dies become an angel?"

Liam smiled at her and softly said, "No, only the chosen."

Giles took this moment to interrupt, "I assume you were one of the chosen?"

Liam rolled his shoulders feeling stiff and winced when he felt his back pull from his injuries. "Yes, I was chosen. Father chose my because I… Anyway all he said to me was that even though I was tainted, my soul was the one he had been searching for. Finally the day came when my training would begin but when he made me I was… different than the others."

Buffy quietly asked, "What do you mean different, what's normal?"

"How do you picture an angel?"

Buffy looked thoughtful, her eyes staring into nothingness as she painted a mental picture. "I guess like the pictures show them; long white robes, halos, blonde hair, blue eyes. Perfect?" She was graced with one of his perfect smiles for her answer.

"Exactly. Light and beautiful, divine. When I was made instead of everything lightening on me it darkened. My hair and eyes became black, and when my wings came in they also were different."

Giles rubbed his eyes, this was more information than he could absorb. "How were your wings different?" Then another thought came to him, "and where are they?"

Liam's eyes developed a red ring around the black and his mouth set into a firm line before the red faded and he adopted a pained expression. He silently stood and disappeared outside into the sunlight. "Why did you ask him that?" Buffy asked shrilly. She had thrown her hands up in the air after Liam left and was staring at Giles accusingly with her hands placed on her hips. "Even I know not to ask an angel how he lost his wings!" She stomped away leaving a flustered and guilty looking Giles behind her.

When she reached the backyard she found him sitting on the porch steps, his back to her. She quietly walked over to him noticing that his bandages were red, he was obviously bleeding through them. She ungracefully plopped down next to him and followed his stare that was focused on a small birds nest nestled in the lower branches of a tree. "Angel," she blushed. "Sorry, I mean Liam," all this talk of angels is getting to me. "Are you ok?"

He slowly turned to look at the petite blonde sitting next to him, "You can call me Angel, it seems right when you say it. To answer your question, I really don't know. Everything's changed so much in such a short period, and I'm just not ready to talk about everything yet."

"I get that. Hey, why don't you let me change your bandages then we can go out and get you some clothes and mess around. It might be good for you to be out…" she trailed off unsure if she was overstepping boundaries. She was relieved when he lifted his large hand and placed it over her small one, gently squeezing it. "That sounds great."

She slid her fingers between his and led him upstairs to the bathroom and looked for the bandages. He was sitting on the counter next to the sink patiently waiting for her to check his wounds. She slowly peeled away the blood soaked bandage from his head and was relieved to find that it was doing much better and wouldn't require any more attention. "Ok shirt off, I need to check your back."

He stilled, "That's ok I'm sure its fine." She placed a hand on his arm and looked into his eyes finding a mixture or fear, apprehension, and a hint of anger.

"No questions Angel, I just want to make sure you're alright."

He stared at her a moment longer before giving her a stiff silent nod. He slowly removed his shirt with Buffy's help, and sat as still as a statue waiting for her to finish. She grimaced when she looked at his back. These two wounds had not healed at all, they were still angry looking and slowly oozing blood. The stitches looked too tight and the skin around them was reaching the deep blue point of bruising. She gently rubbed a cotton ball across the gashes removing as much blood as possible before placing a bandage on each one and helping Angel into his shirt. She tried not to think that he had probably received these wounds from losing his wings, but it was difficult. She mentally shook herself and put on a cheerful face, "Let's go shopping!"